Anybody who thinks that they know what will happen with the Chicago Bears is lying. Some will be right, because the predictions are everywhere, from embarrassment to Super Bowl contender, and everywhere in between. That is because the team is full of wild cards.
However, none is bigger than Ben Johnson. CBS recently ranked the top 10 wild cards of the 2025 season, and the Bears' head coach came in at number four.
"The Chicago Bears did a tremendous job improving the roster around 2024 top pick Caleb Williams this offseason. After a rookie campaign where he was sacked a jaw-dropping 68 times, the club totally reshaped the interior of the offensive line with guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, along with center Drew Dalman. They also added tight end Colston Loveland and wideout Luther Burden III in the NFL Draft, giving him even more weapons. Defensively, they also added the likes of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo along the defensive line.Tyler Sullivan
Overall, this is a better roster, but how will it fare with Ben Johnson now steering the ship as its coach? Johnson arrived in Chicago as one of the most sought-after head coaching candidates over the last few years after a stellar tenure as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. While we all think Johnson will transition into being a good head coach, we don't know that. We've seen plenty of highly touted offensive coordinators ascend to the head coach spot only to struggle taking over the entire operation. If Johnson suffers a similar fate, the Bears will be back to square one. If he becomes the head coach that most of the NFL-watching world thinks he can be, the organization is on a serious rise, and maybe as soon as this season. "
Looking at Johnson being considered a "wild card"
As noted, the roster is much better. While Caleb Williams may not be elite or on Jayden Daniels' level, but we think that he should have shown enough as a rookie that he will not be a complete bust. The only thing that can make or break the team is Johnson, and it truly is up in the air.
If Johnson is the genius many think he is, this team can immediately make a run. His mind would likely be putting all of these skill players in position to thrive, and even if Williams struggled this year, Johnson can make life easy enough for him that they can make a run with this roster.
If Johnson does not work out, this could all fall apart. Williams will lose confidence, and the city may turn on him. The skill players will be annoyed, and in the case of DJ Moore, he will want out. The offensive line will look like it always does.
Read more: ESPN all but confirms the future is bright for Bears with latest rankings
Johnson has been one of the most fun play-callers in recent years, and this is an offensive driven league. His relationship with Williams looks good on paper. At the same time, we saw many coordinators make the jump and struggle to adjust. Detroit could be built with a strong roster and Dan Campbell leading the way. Johnson having such a huge outcome on the record and the unknown of what he brings make him an obvious choice.